Time controlled actuating mechanism



Nov. 6, 1962 'r. BOWEN 3,062,061

TIME CONTROLLED ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 6, 1962 BOWEN 3,062,061

TIME CONTROLLED ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/G. 3. //a ma 9 Nov. 6, 1962 'r. BOWEN 3,062,061

TIME CONTROLLED ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F/GZ United States Fatent @fiice 3,062,061 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 3,062,061 TIME CONTROLLED AQTUATING MECHANESM Torn Bowen, Hove, England, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Smith & Sons (England) Ltd, London, England, a corporation of England Filed Aug. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 831,247 Claims priority, application Great Britain Aug. 7, 1958 Claims. (Cl. 7454) The invention concerns time controlled actuating mechanisms for use in standard home appliances and similar equipments used in industry such as lights, welders, ovens, washers, dryers or any device which operates in cycles which may be recurrent or which may vary from run to run.

This invention relates to adjustable time controlled starting and stopping devices and has for an object to provide an arrangement in which the starting and stopping times can be adjusted by means of a single control member.

The invention is particularly applicable to starting and Stopping a cooker by operating a suitable switch (in the case of an electric cooker) or a gas valve (in the case of a gas cooker), so that the cooker is rendered operative at a predetermined time, maintained operative over a predetermined period and rendered inoperative after that period.

According to this invention an adjustable time controlled starting and stopping device comprises two tracks arranged side by side and relatively adjustable along their length, an element arranged opposite both tracks, and movable along them by a time actuated member resulting in movements being imparted to the follower in a direction transverse to its movement along the track, one transverse movement being under the control of one track and the other transverse movement being controlled by the other track, which two transverse movements of the follower are arranged to actuate a control device to initiate respectively a starting control and a stopping control, a setting member movable in the direction of the length of the tracks and arranged in one direction of movement to impart setting movement to one of the tracks and in the other direction to impart setting movement to the other track, and also during one of said movements to impart movement to said follower so as to position it at the starting end of the tracks, and which time actuated member is arranged to move said follower from said starting end to the other end of the two tracks. I

The said adjustable tracks are preferably on rotatably adjustable adjustable members and said element is mounted so as to be movable both radially and circumferentially with respect thereto, which rotational adjustments are effected by the setting member relatively to the time actuated member and which radial movement actuates said control device for starting and stopping.

The aforesaid setting member may be rotatable in one direction away from the time actuated member so as to engage an abutment on one of said adjustable members so as to bring a radial slot therein into register with a radial slot in the other adjustable members and wherein said element is movable under the action of spring means towards the ends of said slots so that continued movement of the setting member in said one direction moves the two adjustable members and element away from the time actuated member whereas reversal of the movement of the setting member withdraws it from the abutment leaving the adjustable members stationary which setting member during this withdrawal actuates means for withdrawing the element away from the ends of the slots but leaves it opposite a notch in a continuation of a face of the slot in said one adjustable member and which means on continued reversal of the setting member brings the element into the notch and moves said one adjustable member towards the time actuated member leaving the other adjustable member in its set position and bringing the slots out of register so that a peripheral portion of said one adjustable member extends across the slot in the other adjustable member whereafter the movement of the time actuated member first moves the element out of the notch when it is moved by the spring means radially on to a peripheral portion of said other adjustable member and then after a lapse of time moves it opposite the slot in said other adjustable member when said spring means move it radially on to the peripheral portion of said one adjustable member which two radial movements actuate said control device.

The aforesaid adjustable members may be cut away at their centres to provide internal peripheral portions from which said radial slots extend outwardly and wherein said spring means are arranged to urge the element outwardly.

The means for withdrawing the element inwardly from the ends of the slot comprise a rack to which the element is fixed and is mounted on a rotatable carrier so as to have a limited reciprocal movement therein which rack has a set of teeth engaging a pinion mounted on the carrier so as to rotate about the latter axis of rotation and which pinion is arranged to be rotated by the setting member upon said reversal of its movement whereby the rack and the element are withdrawn against the action of said spring means until the rack comes to one limit of its reciprocable movement whereupon the carrier rotates moving the element circumferentially into said notch and setting said one adjustable member for the starting time.

The said rack may be provided with a second set of teeth which engage a second pinion fixed to a spindle rotatably mounted on the carrier so that its axis is at right angles to and intersects that of the carrier which spindle has fixed thereto a cam engaging an operating member for said control device so that axis of rotation of the carrier passes through the peripheral face of the cam and its area of contact with the operating member.

The following is a description of one embodiment of the invention reference being made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a part of the apparatus below the line 11 of FIGURE 2 but showing certain parts in different positions and showing the element 23 in its outermost radial position;

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows with some parts shown for clarity on an enlarged scale to that of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged View of the actuating cam;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the two setting tracks on an enlarged scale from that shown in FIGURE 2 and showing the tracks in certain of the relative positions they assume;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view to FIGURE 4 showing the tracks in another relative position;

FIGURE 6 shows the position of the setting arm and the parts which it engages shortly after it has been moved from the initial position in a direction to set the finish track;

FIGURE 7 is a face view of the start track;

FIGURE 8 is a face view of the finish track; and

FIGURE 9 is a diagrammatic view showing how the start and finish tracks are connected to indicating pointers.

The device comprises a carrier 10 mounted for rotation about a first axis 11 which carrier carries a slide 12 mounted in a guide 13 formed on the carrier, for movement in a direction parallel to a radius extending from the first axis and loaded by means of a pair of helical springs 14 towards one end of the guide. The slide 12 is L-shape in cross section, both longitudinal edges of which are provided with teeth. The teeth along one edge engage with a first pinion 16 journalled in the carrier 10 for rotation about the first axis. The teeth 33 along the other edge engage with a second pinion 17 solidly mounted on the spindle 18 in the carrier 10 for rotation about a second axis 37 at right angles to the first axis #11 which it intersects. The spindle 13 also carries an actuating cam 19 which parts are so arranged that the point of contact of the cam With a cam follower lies on or near the axis 11.

As will be seen from FIGURE 3 the periphery of the actuating cam is in the general form of a square with slightly concave sides. The cam follower comprises a non-rotating switch operating arm 24) of strip-like form which may be engaged by the corners of the cam 19, the switch being closed when a corner engages and moves along the strip and open when the mid-points of a concave side is opposite the strip. It will be appreciated that rotation of the carrier 10 with the actuating cam 19 fixed against rotation about its axis does not affect the condition of the switch operating arm 26.

An arm 21 is fixed to the first pinion I6 and is provided with an upward projection 22. An element 23 of bladelike form lies substantially in a plane passing through the first axis with its operative face parallel with that axis and is rigidly fixed to the slide I2 and co-operates with tracks 24 and 25. The spring loading on the slide urges the element radially outwards from the first axis 11.

The tracks 24, comprise discs having cut away centre portions to provide track faces and can be rotated about the first axis 11 for setting purposes, but are frictionally restrained against rotation by members engaging their circular peripheries and mounted on a fixed part 34 of the apparatus so that the tracks do not rotate in unwanted fashion.

The cams shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 5 comprise a start track 25 and a finish track 24. The internal peripheral face of the finish cam 24 (see FIGURE 7) has two internal circular faces of different radii, the face 1 of smaller radius extending through nearly 360 and the face 2 of larger radius extending through a small angle completing the 360. The ends of the two faces are joined by radial sides 3, 3a. The internal surface of the start track 25 (see FIGURE 8) has four internal circular faces of different radii, a short circular face 4 of intermediate radius, a circular face 5 of circumferential extent and radius corresponding to the face 2 of the finish track 24, a circular face 6 which lies mid-way between the circular faces 1 and 2 of the finish track 24 and the circular extent of which face 6 is about 180 and a further circular face 7 (Whose form and radius are in fact immaterial). The various circular faces thus lie on circumferences of four circles of successively increasing radii such that when the follower 23 engages the face 4 the switch is off, i.e. its contacts are open and under these conditions the concave part 8 of the cam 19 is opposite the switch operating arm 29. When the element 23 engages the circular face 1 the switch is also on, i.e. the contacts are closed, this corresponds to the condition when the switch operating arm 26 is engaged by a corner 9 of the cam 19 shown in FIGURE 3. When the element 23 engages the face 6 the switch is off i.e. the contacts open and this takes place when the side 10a in FIGURE 3 is opposite the switch operating arm 20. Finally when the element 23 is in contact with face 2 the switch is on, i.e. the contacts are closed and this corresponds to a position when the corner 11a of the cam 19 is in engagement with the switch operating arm 20.

The start track 25 is provided with a projection 26 seen in FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 6. A setting spindle 27 lies along the first axis 11 and can be rotated by a knob 28, the setting spindle carries a radially extending setting arm 29 provided with a cut-away portion 36 (FIGURE 4 6) on one edge which can engage the projection 26 on the starting track 25.

A time controlled actuating member 35 driven by suitable clockwork 32 rotates about the first axis and is provided with an arm 31 which in certain circumstances referred to later is engageable only with the blade-like element 23, causing it to sweep along the aforesaid sur' faces 4 and 1.

As shown in FIGURE 9 the finish and start tracks 24 and 25 may be gear connected to pointers 37, 38 which traverse a time scale 39 and fixed plate 40 secured to the member 34. For this purpose the rims of the tracks may be toothed as may also the members 30 (not shown in FIGURE 9). The toothed rim of the start track 24 engages a pinion 41 on a hollow spindle 42 which extends through a hole in the member 34 and has another pinion 43 which engages a gear wheel 44 encircling the setting spindle 27. The gear wheel has a hub 45 to which the pointer 37 is attached. The toothed periphery of the finish track 25 engages a pinion 46 on a spindle 47 which extends through the hollow spindle 42. The spindle 42 has a further pinion 48 fixed to it which engages a gear wheel 49 having a hub 59 to which the pointer 32% is attached.

The manner of operation is as follows. Referring to FIGURE 6 when the setting arm 29 is in a Zero position its right-hand edge will be close to but spaced from the projection 22 on the arm 21 fixed to the first pinion 16, the projection 26 on the start track 25 will be in the cut-away portion 36 of the setting arm and the radially movable element 23 will be to one side of the projection 26 and on the left-hand side of the setting arm 29 (and not in the position shown in FIGURE 6). Prior to the resetting of the tracks the track 24 and start track 25 will be in some such position shown in FIGURE 5, the element 23 (shown in full line) is resting on the part 6 of the start track 25 and the switch is open. To set the finishing time the setting arm 29 is rotated anti-clockwise picking up the downward projection 26 on the start track 25 and then moving clear of the blade-like element 23 (which is at an intermediate part of its radial travel), which parts are rotated in relation to the finish track 24 until the two tracks assume the relative positions shown in FIGURE 4. In these positions the blade-like element 23 will have moved radially outwards under the action of the springs 14 and is disposed in the two registering slots in the two tracks and is spring-pressed into engagement with the end faces 2 and 5 and is beyond the end of the setting arm 29 as in FIGURE 6. In moving outwards the rack, on which the element 23 is mounted, will have rotated the pinion 17 and cam 19 and the switch is closed. The rack will also have rotated the pinion 16 bringing projection 22 closer to arm 29. Rotation anti-clockwise of the setting arm 29 is continued which carries both tracks around with it and also the element 23 which is now engaged by the face 6a on the start track 25 until the radial portion 3a of the finish track 24 is in a position corresponding to the pre-selected desired finish time i.e. is the required angular distance from the arm 31 on clock pinion 35 which rotates anticlockwise. The setting arm 29 is then rotated clockwise leaving the blade-like element 23 in the slots in the two tracks. During this movement the setting arm 29 first picks up the projection 22 on the arm 21 fixed to the first said pinion 16, rotating the pinion which thus causes the slide 12 to move radially inwards carrying with it element 23 which is withdrawn from the registering slots in the two tracks 24 and 25, when the slide 12 reaches the limit of its travel in the carrier the first pinion 16 thus becomes locked against further rotation relative to the carrier and the carrier rotates clockwise and under these conditions the element 23 is drawn a short radial distance clear of the face 4 on the start track 25 and lies opposite the radial face 4a. Thus further rotation of the setting knob 28 in a clockwise direction will bring the face 4a on the start track to the required angular distance from the arm 31 on the clock pinion 35. During the inward retracting movement of the blade-like element 23 and of the slide 12 and of the rack 33, pinion 16 and actuating cam 19 will have been rotated so that the switch will have opened and remains open when the element 23 reaches the face 4a. When the element is in its fully retracted position there requires to be still at least 180 separating the stop 22 on the arm 21 on the first pinion 16 from the element 23 in order to allow a full six hours cooking period. Just prior to the commencement of the cooking period the arm 31 fixed to the clock actuated member 35 which is rotating in an anti-clockwise direction engages the blade-like element 23 and causes the element to move in an anti-clockwise direction off the face 4 of the start track on to the face 1 of the finish track 24 as shown in chain lines in FIG- URE 5 and the switch will be closed due to the rotation of the cam 19 by pinion 17, rack 12 and pinion 16. The element 23 continues to be moved counterclockwise by the arm 31 along the face 1 and at the expiry of the required cooking time, the element 23 will be moved by the arm 31 off the end of face 1 to a position between the faces 3, 3a and will be spring-pressed upwardly in FIGURE 5 so as to be resting on the face 6 of the start track 25 (as shown in full lines in FIGURE 5) and in this position the switch is off.

The sequence of operations in resetting the tracks is as set out as follows:

(1) At the cessation of a timing operation and prior to resetting of tracks, the positions of the tracks are as shown in FIGURE 5 and the element 23 as indicated by the full line on that figure.

(2) To reset the mechanism, the setting arm 29 is rotated anti-clockwise, picking up the arm 26 on the start track 25, and driving start track anti-clockwise in relation to finish track 24 (which remains stationary) until the tracks reach relative positions shown in FIGURE 4 whereupon the element 23 comes into engagement with face 2 of the finish track 24 and with face 5 on the start track 25, i.e. as far out as the element 23 can travel and bringing the upward projection 22 on the pinion 16 into engagement with the right-hand side of the arm 29.

(3) Finish time is set by continued anti-clockwise rotation of setting arm 29. This results in rotation of both tracks 24, 25 and the element 23 together, the element being engaged by radial face 6a on the start track 25 and the anti-clockwise face of slot 3 on the finish track 24 being engaged by the element 23.

(4) When the desired finish time is indicated, the setting arm 29 is rotated clockwise to set the start time. This clockwise rotation results in the engagement of the setting arm 29 with upward projection 22 on the first pinion thereby rotating the pinion and causing retraction of the slide 12 to the maximum extent and bringing the element 23 well clear of slot 3, continued clockwise rotation of the arm 29 rotates the slide pinion and carrier and element 23 solidly and the side of the element 23 engages with face 4a on the start track 25 a.ter a relatively small further clockwise rotation. Thereafter the continued clockwise rotation of the setting arm 29 results in the clockwise rotation of the start track, the finish track 24 remaining stationary, until the required starting time indication is obtained.

(5) Upon release of the setting knob 28 the element 23 comes into engagement with part 4 on the start track 25 under the action of the springs 14.

It will be seen that the cam 19 is a reversibly movable member which is constructed to actuate a part such as for example the switch operating arm 20 which in a sense can be regarded as a follower. When the knob 28 and cam 19 are taken together in connection with track 12 and pinion 17, the cam 19 may be regarded as an actuator for acting on arm 20. In the same manner cam 19 may be regarded as set to a desired position by-the rotation of knob 28 to set both tracks 24, 25 and cam 19. This setting of cam 19 enables it to actuate arm 20 in one sense and subsequently to actuate the arm 20' in another sense as explained above.

If resetting is carried out while a timing operation is in progress, the element will be in the notch 4a in FIG- URE 5, if the cooker has not yet been switched on, or at the dotted position if it is on. The first effect of anticlockwise rotation of the setting arm will then be to engage the element, and push this along until it attains full line position. Thereafter the setting will proceed as in 1 to 5 above.

While there have been described above what are presently believed to be the preferred forms of the invention, variations thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art and all such changes and variations which fall within the spirit of the invention are intended to be covered by the generic terms in the appended claims, which are variably worded to that end.

I claim:

1. A time controlled actuating mechanism comprising first and second settable tracks having shaped parts, an element movable along the tracks, a clock driven member adapted to move said element along the tracks, reversibly movable means operatively connected to said element and operated by the movement of said element when it reaches said shaped parts of the tracks, a single manually controlled setting member adapted both to set the first and second tracks so that said shaped parts are at a preselected distance from the clock driven member and also to set the reversibly movable means, whereby when the clock driven member moves said element opposite a shaped part of one track, the reversibly movable means is operated, and when the clock driven member moves the element opposite a shaped part of the other track the reversibly movable means is again operated.

2. A time controlled actuating mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in which spring means are arranged to operate upon said element in a direction to impart movement to said reversibly movable means and means for loading said spring means by the setting movement applied to said first and second tracks.

3. A time controlled actuating mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said shaped parts comprise first and second slot-s respectively formed in and extending transversely to said first and second tracks and a notch formed in a continuation of one of the walls of said first slot, said clock driven member being movable in a direction along said tracks, said element being movable both along said tracks and transversely thereto, spring means operatively connected to said element and arranged to effect said transverse movement, said element being engageable by the clock driven member so as to bring the element beyond said notch whereupon it is moved transversely to said first track by said spring means onto said second track whereafter continued movement of the clock driven member moves the element opposite the second slot whereupon said spring means moves the element transversely into the second slot, said reversibly movable means being adapted to be actuated by the successive transverse movements of the element, said single setting member being movable in one direction to engage a part of one of the tracks to move it into a position in which the first and second slots are in register whereby the element engages both slots keying them together and continued movement of the setting member moves both tracks away from the clock driven member, a transmission having a part engageable by the setting member upon reversal of its movement, said transmission having a further part which, upon actuation of the transmission, withdraws said element transversely from the slots against the action of the spring means to a position opposite said notch and continued reversal of movement of said setting member leaves said second track in its set position and moves said first track towards the clock driven member leaving it in its set position.

4. A time controlled actuating mechanism as claimed in claim 3 wherein the further part of said transmission for withdrawing the element transversely from the slots comprises a rack to which the element is fixed, a carrier having a pinion mounted thereon, said rack being mounted on said carrier, said carrier being constructed to be rotatable about an axis, said rack having a limited reciprocal movement in said carrier, said rack having a set of teeth engaging said pinion mounted on the carrier so as to rotate about the axis of rotation of the carrier, said pinion being mounted to be rotated by the setting member upon said reversal of its movement whereby the track and the element are Withdrawn against the action of said spring means until the rack comes to one limit of its reciprocal movement whereafter, upon continued movement of the setting member, the carrier rotates moving the element into said notch and setting said first track.

5. -A time controlled actuating mechanism as set iorth in claim 4, a second pinion fixed to a spindle mounted for rotation on said carrier, a second set of teeth on said rack for engaging said second pinion, the axis of rotation of said spindle being perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of rotation of said carrier, said reversibly movable means comprising a cam having a peripheral face and fixed to said spindle, a part to be actuated engaged by said cam, said axis of rotation of said carrier passing through the said peripheral face of said cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,171,955 Honeywell Feb. 15, 1916 

